Circle of Trust

Chapter 21

“Raj….” Naina woke up with a start, untangled the blanket from around her and stumbled out of bed.

She remembered waiting up for Varun in the living room, anxious but hopeful that a few hours in a locked cell with Shiv would give the two men a chance to put their egos aside and talk to each other.

Tej had called late in the night informing her of the two being bruised black and blue, but were very much alive, glaring at each other in the prison cell. She had sounded pissed off at both for acting like kindergarten kids fighting over a toy car. With utmost relish she had given her the news of them staying locked up till morning.

Naina wondered what her husband’s reaction was when he came to know that it was on her request that Tej had refused to sign them out before morning. He would have been shocked for sure; she smiled.

“Shit! Ria….” Once again she was late.

On the way out of her bedroom, she caught a glimpse of Varun out on the street and stopped. She rushed to the window, drew the curtains aside and peeked out.

Her husband stood with his hands on his hips, his eyes trained on the house next door. He didn’t look too happy, but she was – he was home fit and fine. The idiot!

She had a few choice words to say to him, but by the way he seemed to have turned to stone in the middle of their lane, it didn’t look like she would meet him anytime soon.

Suddenly, as if he came out of a trance, he jerked forward, walking briskly towards Vansh’s home.

What the…!

She grabbed the rods of the window and strained closer to see what the hell was up with her husband. Had Shiv punched his head? He better not have, she fumed.

About to call out to her husband, her mouth hung open when she saw him stop abruptly at the gate, slap his forehead with his palm, curse profusely, scratch his head, look up at the house, turn and walk away.

Wow! All it took was few punches and a night with Shiv in a prison cell for her husband to turn completely loony!

She shook her head, blinking rapidly. About to turn away, relieved that he wasn’t making a bigger fool of himself by walking into their house like a crazed fellow, she was shocked when she found him again at the gate. What was he trying to do? He didn’t know them from Adam or Eve, in this case. He couldn’t just walk in there; all bandaged up and introduce himself. He must reek of the prison, the sweat and not to mention the bar.

“You bloody idiot!” she screamed through the window and quickly clamped her mouth shut with both her hands.

Oh God! Now she was losing it. What if her MiL had heard her downstairs? Praying that her voice hasn’t carried that far, she shifted her focus to her husband who, she was sure, had no clue what he was doing.

Her bare feet flew over the stairs and in time she was out the door and bumped head first into a vest clad solid chest.

“Oomph!” She grabbed the black vest and steadied herself. A pair of arms wrapped around her waist pulling her up till she raised her eyes and met his brown ones.

“I’ll gladly spend the nights in the prison cell if this is the welcome I get.” He smirked, wound his arms tighter against her waist and carried her to the garage.

Looping her fingers through the straps of his vest, she pulled herself up till her eyes were an inch from his.

“I’ll kill you. Next time you land in prison for anything, even if it’s for stealing a candy for Ria, I’ll tie this vest around your neck and…”